Spain rescues boat with 84 migrants, one dead

Rescuers carry a migrant out of a Spanish coast guard vessel, at the port of Arguineguin, in the island of Gran Canaria. Spain, July 25, 2023. REUTERS/Borja Suarez

ARQUINEGIN, Spain (Reuters) - Spain's maritime rescue service on Tuesday said it had rescued a boat near the island of Gran Canaria carrying 84 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, one of whom had died.

The Canary Islands off the coast of West Africa have become the main destination for migrants trying to reach Spain, with a much smaller number also seeking to cross the Mediterranean Sea to the Spanish mainland. Summer is the busiest period for all attempted crossings.